Tomato Rasam Recipe | Tomato Rasam without Dal

When the weather starts getting cold, there is nothing like some rasam soup. This Tangy Tomato Soup Indian Style, or rasam, as it is called, is a traditional South Indian tomato soup, is a mix of subtle Indian flavors with the natural tanginess of tomatoes.  Every sip of that tangy tomato soup you take brings more comfort and warmth. With the cold weather approaching, a bowl of rasam makes a perfect winter option.

This is a great recipe if you have some tomatoes getting a little soft that need to be used up. Make sure to buy really flavorful tomatoes because it really makes a difference in this recipe. After the soup has cooked for awhile, some of the tomatoes will be crushed but still add a good bit of texture to the rest of thin soup. You can also choose to blend the soup and it will still stay thin but the flavor will alter.

Traditionally, rasam is eaten with idlis (steamed rice flour cakes), dosa (rice flour crepes), uttapams (thick rice flour pancake) or rice. Personally, I prefer eating the soup by itself or with quinoa or uttapams. Definitely make some rice to make this a complete dinner but even alone this soup makes a good lunch. If you want to be especially adventurous, premade dosa batter is available at many Indian grocery stores.

Some notes on the ingredients for making this tangy tomato soup Indian style:

Tamarind Date Chutney: This is usually found in Indian grocery stores in the refrigerator section. If you do not have an Indian grocery store nearby, try the ethnic aisle in regular grocery stores. These days Indian ingredients are becoming more commonplace and you may be able to find it. If you find a tamarind paste instead, you may have to dilute it.

Curry leaves: These can also be found in an Indian grocery store.

Ghee: The ghee at the end is optional. If left out, this soup is vegan.